Apparatus for making paper pulp



Jan. 11 1927. 3,839

W. S. LOWE APPARATUS FOR MAKING PAPER PULP Filed March 50, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1,613,839 192? w. s. LOWE APPARATUS FOR MAKING PAPER PULP Filed March 50 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 'm I AI w v 1 ,613,839- Jan. 11, 1927. w. s LOWE v APPARATUS FOR MAKING PAPER PULP Filed March so, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 W. S. LOWE APPARATUS FOR MAKING PAPER PULP Jan. 11 1927,

Filed March 30, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jana- 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES w1LL1m s.-Lown, or cmcaeo, rumors.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING PAPER PULP.

Application filed March 30, 1923. Serial No. 628,688.

This invention relates to a new and improved method: an apparatus such method.

of making paper pulp and adapted for carrying out 'More specifically,

the method and apparatus relate to the cutting ofthe pulp wood into the short fibres necessary tain small proportion of monly formed by chemical processes which v r for rapid and efliclent operation with a very the pulp is comgives a pulp of comparatively long fibre. The greater portion is commonlyformed not by cutting but grinding by ressing the ends of the logs against a'grlndstone revolving at a high speed.

face of the log are k to keep down the formed in the wet state.

I The grindstone and the contacting ept covered with water heat and the pulp is The excess water runs off and carries with it a certain percentage of the pulp which may approximate ten percent, whlch portion 'of the pulp is lost.

The operation of this method requires considerable power and 1S comparaslow. A grinder of this type requn'es very tively approximately fifty horsepower a ton of pulp.

to produce This high power requirement renders pulp making prohibitive unless cheap water power is available.

It also is a somewhat seasonal operation since it can only be carried on to full extent at periods during hih water when maximum power is available.

The present mach the fact that the p when shipped making pulp from being used in the formation pulp lies in and the cost of freight.

ine is also adapted for leather waste, this pulpof leather board and similar material.

The formation of pulp from leather scrap is,.by methods now in use, a very expensive process since it requlres a very large expenditure of power. used it requires \Vith the apparatus now from eighteen to twentyfour hours to reduce leather scraps to pulp and a 1,000 pound beater will require about 100 horsepower 1 upon leathercraps.

to turn it when operating 'Consequently, this opthe pulp, however,

eration can only be carried on where cheap power is available.

It is an object of the presentinventionto provide a new and improved apparatus and method adapted for the formation of pulp frofn wood, leather or other similar mater1a It is a further object to provide means and method of this character wherein the production is carried on by a cutting rather than a grinding action and which is adapted low power expenditure.

It is an additional object to provide a construction adapted to produce pulp iii the dry state.

It is another object to provide an apparatus whereby the pulp produced may be readily handled by mechanical means.

Other and further objectswill appear as the description proceeds.

I have illustrated certain preferred embodiments of my invention in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a vertical section showi'ng'one form of apparatus;

Figure 2 is a plan view shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section show-, ing the feed drive mechanism;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary'section showing the knife mounting;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a modified form of construction;

vFigure'6 is a horizontal section of the form of construction shown in Figure 5 taken on line 6 6; and

Fi ure 7 a fragmentary plan view showlng the location of the knives-in the form of construction shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Referring first to of the apparatus '3, the bevel-gear 16 is he .ed to'the "inner end of's'h'aft 14 andthe t rust bearing 17 1s located between bevel=gear 16- and the fixed bearing 18.

lii

The shaft 14 carries the pinion 19 meshing with pinion '20 carried upon the feed drive shaft 21. The feed drive shaft is supported in bearings 22, 23 and 24. This shaft is provided with the Worm gear 25 which fits between bearings 23 and 24, and which meshes with the gear 26 carried by the vertical feed drive shaft 27.

The bevel-gear 16, carried by the main drive shaft, meshes with the bevel-gear 28 which latter is secured by key 29 to the main drive sleeve 30.

The cutter-disk 31 is secured to the sleeve by key 32 and rotates therewith. The bearing collar 33 is secured to the upper end of the main drive sleeve'30 by means of a set screw 34. This collar 33 rests upon the ball-bearing 35, which latter rests upon a seat 36 formed upon the upper surface of the base plate 37. The plate 37 is secured to the base member 11 by means of bolts 38.

The cutter-disk 31 is provided with a plurality of radial openings 39, as best shown inFigure 4. These openings 39 are under cut at 40 to facilitate discharge of the cut material. The knives 41 are secured to the opposite face of-the openings 39 by means of clamp members 42 held in place by screws.

43. The clamps 42 are provided with the upwardly extending edge portions 44 through which pass adjusting screws 45.

'-'The upper ends of these screws 45 -'bear against the lower edges of the knives 41 and the latter may be adjusted by otation of these screws.

The disk 31 is provided upon its lower central portion with the overhanging flange 46 which encloses an upwardly extending flange 47 carried by the base of the pulp receiving' chamber 48.' This chamber 48 is formed of sheet metal and issecured to the base plate 37. The chamber 48 with the outlet 49 and with the clean-out door 50 which, latter is held in closed position by catch 51.

The guide cylinders 52 are secured in spaced openings in the plate 37, being retained in place by screws 53. As shown in Figure 2, the apparatus selected for illustration comprises five such members 52 equally spaced about the axis of the cutter-' disk 31. The upper ends of the members 52 are connected by the fixed spider 54 which is secured to the members 52 by bolts 55.

The vertical feed shaft 27 extends through the spider 54 and its upper end 56 is threaded. The thrust collar 57 is secured to the shaft 27. by set screw 58, and bears against the lower face of the central boss of spider 54.

The movable spider 59 is fitted upon the shaft 27 and is provided with arms 60 ex-' tending over the center of each of the guide cyl nders 52. The presser rods 61 are carried in the arms 60 and extend down into the cyler rods.

is provided inders. The lower ends of the rods 61 are threaded and have secured thereto the presser disks 62. These disks are held in place by the lock nuts 63 and are provided with the pointed studs 64. The pins 65 extend through therod 61 above the spider arm 60 and limit downward movement of the press- The collars 66 are secured to the rods 61 below the spider by means of set screws 67 and the springs 68 are carried by the rods between the collars 66 and spider arms 60.

The spider 59 fits loosely on shaft 27 and does not engage the threads of the shaft. The actuating arm 69 is pivotally secured to the spider 59 by means of screw 70. The

free end of this arm 69 is provided with a- .threaded portion engaging the threaded portion of the vertical feed drive shaft 56. I

This end of the arm is urged into engagement with the threaded portion 56 by the spring 96. The disconnecting arm 71 is pivthereto the operating cord 73 which, as 7 shown, passes over pulleys 74 and 75.

The guide rod 7 6 is supported at its lower end upon extension 77 formed u on the fixed spider 54 and is held in place b 78 and 79. This guide rod passes through extension 80 formed on the upper spider 59 and the engagement of'the rod with the spider prevents rotation of the latter and guides it in its vertical movement.

The water header 99 encircles the guide cylinders 52 and isprovided with the discharge pipes 100, one of which enters each guide cylinder. Water may be admitted into the header 99' from pipe 101 controlled by valve 102.

The form of construction shown in Figures 5 to ..7 is in many ways similar to that just described. The main drive shaft and its gears, and the horizontal feed drive shaft andits gears are identical in the two cases.

All parts which are identical in this second form of'the device with similar parts inthe gears 86 are carried upon the vertical shaft:

87 supported in frame 88. 'Above the gear 86 upon each shaft is secured the cuttercarrying cone 89. These cones are proy lock nuts vided upon their upper surface with the conical chamber 90. As shown in Figure 7,

this chamber 90 is provided witha substantially diametric opening 91'upon the under portion of which are secured the knives92 In the second form of the device the pulpreceiving chamber 94 is formed of sheet metal and secured to the base plate and sup tate porting frame in a manner similar to the This chamber is provided with the outlet 95. In this form of construction, guide flanges 97 are formed upon the inner faces of the guide cylinders 52, these flanges fitting in notches 98 formed in the presser members 62. This interengagement prevents rotation of the prcsrrer head and by means of the pointed studs 64 rotation of the stick or logis prevented. It will be understood that the logs or sticks used will not be greater in diameter than the clearance between the opposite flanges 97.

In the operation of the first form of apparatus, the power is supplied to pulley 15, carried upon shaft 14, and by means of bevelgears 16 and 28', power is transmitted to the main drive sleeve 30. This drive sleeve carries the cutter-disk 31 and the knives 41 are rotated rapidly with the disk. The logs or sticks of material to be reduced to pulp are placed in the guide cylinders 52 and their lower faces are engaged by the upper face of the cutter-disk and by the knives. The movable spider 59 is lifted in order to insert the logs, the spider carrying with it the presser rods 61 and the presser disks'62.

The spider 59 is connected to the vertical feed drive shaft 27 by means of the threads cut in the face of the actuating arm69, The spider is lifted by means passing over pulleys 74 and 75. This upward pull causes the upper end of the arm g 71 to engage the cam portion 73'0f the arm 69. By means of this engagement the'arm 69 is thrust against the spring96 andv the threads are moved out of engagement with 56 of the shaft 27. The spider and its attached presser disks and rods are then raised by the pull upon the cord 3. The guide rod 76, by its engagement with the extension80, prevents rotation of the spider '59 and causes it to move direct-- ly upward,.t-he rod 61 and presser disk be-- ing maintained in alignment with theirrespective guide cylinders. I

When the logs have been placed in the cylinders, the movable spider 59 is lowere'd'until the'presser disks engage the upper faces of the logs'. .The pressure upon the logs is governed by springs 68 which also permit the disks to be properly seated upon the logs although there maybe some variation in the lengths of logs. The studs 64 are presied into the ends of the logs and hold the pres: er disks in fixed relation to the logs.

The vertical'feed shaft 27 is rotated by means of power supplied through the pinion opposite found desirable to somewhat according this chamber through of the cord 73 that just described.

' In this form of apparatus,

lthat the cut taken is not 19 carried upon the shaft 14. This pinion meshes with pinion 20 on the feed drive shaft 21 and serves to drive the latter shaft. The worm gear 25 upon the feeddrive shaft 21 meshes with the gear 26 upon the vertical feed drive shaft andcauses the latter to ro- It will be seen that there is a very-considerable gear reduction through 19 and 20 and the worm gears Consequently, the feed drive shaft is rotated at relatively low speed. Further, the threads upon the portion 56 of the shaft 27, which engage the threads of member 69 carried by the spider 60, may be made upon a relatively small pitch. It may be desirable, when operating upon different woods or materials of differing hardness, to vary-the feed driveby substituting gears of differing ratios for pinions 19 and 20. It will'be apparent, however, that the speed of rotation the pinions 25 and 26.

of the disk 31, and consequently the cutting The depth of the cut will determine the length of the fibrefsecured and it may also be vary the depth of the cut to the hardness of the material operated upon,

The material cutor shaved from the ends of the logs drops into the pulp receiving chamber 48 and it is drawn by suction fromthe outlet 49. 'The chamber is closed and the air drawn out of the pulp will be drawn down through the uide cylinders 52 and across the face of the cutter plate. This current of air will serve to cool the cutting faces and prevent overheating and burning. Under some circumstances, in order to provide a moist or wet pulp or to reduce heating,-it may be desirable to introduce Water upon the logs or sticks and upon the operating knives. This may be done by means of the header 99 and pipes 100 which serve to lead the water to each guide cylinder and stick.

The operation of the second form of apparatus shown is in many Ways identical with The feed mechanism is exactly similar. however, there is a separate cutting means for each log or piece of material. The cutter carrying cones 89 are driven from the sleeve 81 by engagement between'the gear 84 and the gears 86. These cutter cones rotate about the axes of the material introduced. Each cone is' provided with a pairof knives and these knives, are located upon an angle so I squarely across the face of the material operated upon, as in the first form, but is a conical shaving or i-ng process.

cut from its end. In this way where the material is provided with longitudinal fibressuch as are present in wood, a cut of any specified depth will produce fibres of greater length than will be produced by a cut of the same depth squarely across the end of the 10 Thi latter form of the device is particularly adapted for usev in formation of pulp from leather sc1'ap.- Leather scrap Would be impregnated with some binder such as silicate of soda and would be pressed .into shape to form cylindrical bodies of approximately the size of the logs which the machine is adapted to receive when working upon wood. These pressed bodies of leather scrap are reduced to pulp by the cutting action of the knives. The binder may be later removed by a beating and washing operation.

In both forms of machine "the rotating cutting holding members have a beating action upon the shaved ofl material passing through the openings adjacent the cutting knives. This action is of value in thoroughly disintegrating the shaved ofl thin layer of material.

The forms of apparatus shown are capable of producing pulp from wood with a comparatively small power expenditure and much less than The use of .my process and apparatuswill thus render available much cheap pulp wood which has heretofore not been used due to the lack of cheap power which is essential in making pulp by the old grinding processes which reqlure a large amount of power.

The two forms of apparatus shown are illustrative only of the apparatus covered by that required by any grindto direct the my invention and may be modified to meet varying conditions within the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for pul prising a revolving mem er having a coneshaped seat adapted to engage the end of a stick of fibrous material, a plurality of radially extending, spaced knives carried by said member adapted to cut successive layers of fibrous material from said stick, and a guide cylinder located parallel to the axis of rotation of the memberand adapted to guide the stick into engagement with the member.

2. Apparatus for pulp -production comprising a revolving member having a coneshaped seat adapted to engage the end of a stick of fibrous material, a plurality of radially extending, spaced knives carried by said member adapted to out successive layers of fibrous material from said stick, a-guide cylinder located parallelto the axis of rotation of the member and adapted to guide the stick into engagement with the member,

press the stick g and a follower adapted to into engagement with the member.

3. Apparatus for pulp production comprising means adapted to cut successive thin conical layers from the endof a stick of, fibrous material, a guide cylinder adapted stick of material against the cutting means, a follower adapted to carry the stick againstrthe cutting means, 'driving means for "said follower, and means adapted to disconnectthe follower from the driving means.

production comv 7 Signed at Chicago, "Illinois, this 28th day of March, 1923.

WILLIAM S. LOWE. 

